Using a Sony Z5

The Sony Z5 is a high end digital HD camera recorder or camcorder. It's 3 ClearVid CMOS Sensor ™ system utilising the technology of Exmor™ provides excellent low-light sensitivity. This compact camcorder is ideal when high performance in available light conditions is a requirement.

This is a very good camera and is used by professionals in the real world to film anything from events to films. Treat it with respect.

Let's get started!

Fig 1

To turn it on push in the small green button while sliding up the switch (Fig 1). Switching it to camera will allow you to record, switching it to VCR will let you playback footage.

If you want to set up the exposure manually (recommended) you'll need to make sure the auto/manual switch is set to manual (Fig 2).

Fig 2

Start using the exposure controls by choosing which controls you wish to alter (Fig 3).  Make sure all controls are in manual mode by looking through the view finder and making sure they all appear at the bottom part of the screen. If one of the settings are set to auto then this will compensate for the change in light from the others and give you less control.

Iris

Press iris/exposure to change the size of the opening to the CMOS sensor. A larger opening will let more light in but will create a shallower depth of field making it harder to focus.  A smaller opening will make it darker but will make it easier to focus.  To adjust the iris use the inner ring on the lens (Fig 4).

Shutter Speed

Fig 3

Adjusting the shutter speed will also change the exposure as well as changing the amount of motion blur.  The higher the shutter speed the the darker your image will become but you will notice a decrease in the amount of motion blur as the picture becomes sharper in moving objects. Shutter speed can be adjusted using the small ring on the left hand side of the camera by the auto/manual switch (Fig 2).

Gain

Fig 4

Gain should always be set to 0db, only adjust this when you have no other way of making the picture brighter.  Adjusting the gain increases the CCD's light sensitivity and as a result makes the picture more grainy/noisy you will loose picture quality.

Focus and zoom
The focus control is the large ring at the end of the lens, to make sure you have control of focus you need to turn the focus onto manual using the switch as seem on the far right of Fig 4.  To get an accurate focus you need to first zoom up on your subject (use the middle ring on the lens) and then move the focus ring either clockwise or anti-clockwise until you have the sharpest picture.  Zooming in enables you to see if the focus is out easier (as the depth of field shrinks) and allows you to make finer adjustments with the focus control.  Use the subject's hair as guide as hair is fine and helps you decide if the picture is in focus.  Once this is done set the focus length to where you want it.  Don't change the relative distance between the camera and subject as this will change the focus.

Useful camera terms
Focal length: the amount of 'zoom' usually measured in milli meters.

Depth of field: the depth of your shot that remains in focus. certain adjustments have an impact on this namely focal length and iris setting.

CMOS: Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor, the light sensitive semi conductor inside the camera, where the image is displayed and converted into a digital signal to be recorded onto tape.  There are 3 inside the Z5 one for each primary colour RGB. The light is divided in to these individual colours via a prism and then captured by the 3 CMOS chips, making better picture quality than a single chip.

ND: neutral density (filter). A filter that has no colour or effect other than lowering the amount of light that enters the lens.  You can also get ND filters for lights to make then darker.